It brings on the question, is unique content enough to reach the higher echelons of blogging? If you want to get on Technorati’s top 100 list, does it take more than above par writing?

We have been told by so many sites that unique content will bring traffic, but I can agree that this might not always be the case. I guess traffic has to start somewhere and if someone doesn’t know about your site, they can’t read it.

It’s a matter of which came first: the chicken or the egg? We now know that the egg came first, proven repeatedly by scientists. Serious SEO experts and top bloggers know that quality content must come first, then the links may begin.

You can promote your site to everyone and anyone. You can get listed in Technorati, Digg, even Slashdot, but unless you have something worthwhile for the incoming visitor to read, and enough quality content to make them want to return, that’s a lot of wasted energy, isn’t it?

I can’t tell you how many new bloggers come to me and ask:

I’m not getting enough traffic. How do I get more traffic? I’ve been blogging for a week. Nothing is happening. What do I do?

One week ain’t enough content, folks. Ask this question three, four, six, or even twelve months from now. Ask this question when you have enough content worthy of traffic.

When you start your blog with the intension of building it into a money making or acclaim building tool, start with quality content. Build a body of work. Test drive your writing skills, fix and edit, and learn how the process works as you develop quality content on your blog.

When you have some worthwhile content, then go out and solicit links and an audience. Keep producing the content, and keep spreading the word the news through word of mouth and blog.

Comment on other blogs. Maybe email some top bloggers about topics you’ve written about, asking them to comment. Participate in online groups, discussions, and chats, or show up in person at public blogging events. Make bloggers your friends. Provide a newsletter, encourage email subscribers, get dugg by Digg or popular with MyBlogLog or other social networking services.

Time definitely makes all the difference, my main blog is about 6 months old (although I did a huge revamp 3 months ago) and it is just now finally starting to get some good, steady traffic growth thanks to good content and some minor promotion.

Some blogs are lucky enough to start and get popular right away, but that happens very very rarely.